casemod: AlumaxX

[Franklin]

I posted some pictures in the show your computer thread, but some people think it is better to give it its own thread. I didn't start one because it is a finished project.
I will start with some photographs of the finished mod.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX1klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX1.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX2klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX2.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX3klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX3.jpg)

http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX4klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX4.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX5klein.jpg (http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX5.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX6klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX6.jpg)

http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX7klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX7.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX9klein.jpg (http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX9.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX10klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX10.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX12klein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxX12.jpg)

http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX13klein.jpg (http://franklin.noph33r.com/images/computertotaal/AlumaxX13.jpg)

In april I was a contestant in the Dutch Casemodding Championship. Because of the weight ( about 40 kilograms ) I had to tranport it like this

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/karretje.jpg

There is a worklog on Bit-tech, but if you guys want to know more about this case I can post a log and give some answers to any questions you may have.
I already started a new project, not a casemod, but a caseconstruction. I will start a worklog here on TBCS soon.

[Ronyx]

log... LOG! please post a log lolz
how long did it take you and how much did it set you back? $$ wise?

[jdbnsn]

Welcome to TBCS Franklin,
By all means post everything you are willing to here, I know many of us would love to see how you built that bad boy. It's incredible!

[Franklin]

I will post the log in parts.

Started on the casemod in december 2004. Yes a long time ago, but it took me more than a year to finish it. Several reasons for it, it is my first mod, don't have much time and only use simple tools.

The case I started with is the Lian Li pC-V2000

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voorkant%202.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/zijkant-open-cirkel.jpg

First thing I did was removing the original harddisk rack

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/met-trays.jpgmet-trays.jpg



http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/zondertrays.jpgzondertrays.jpg

I had to make some room for the radiator grill at the top of the case. Some tape and a good planning were needed before cutting the case with a Dremel clone.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/rooster.jpg

The firts cuts in my expensive case.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/dremeltop.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/dremeltop2.jpg

One of the reservoirs will be mounted in the top of the case, just behind the radiator grill.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/grillenreservoir.jpg

After removing the harddisk tray I had to come up with a new custom made Harddisk tray. Because I want to know whether my handmade parts will fit and how it will look I make some paper models before using metal or acrylic.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/proeftray.jpg

Both harddisks will be watercooled with Aquacomputer coolingblocks.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/proeftray2.jpg

Started working on the aluminium, just using a saw.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumzagen.jpg

and removing the corners by drilling holes

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumboren.jpg

After some filing it already looks better.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/tray1.jpg

[jdbnsn]

That was your first mod??????? whoa, very impressive!

[AKA_RA]

i love it!

it looks like the love child of orc³ and a lian li

and thats definately a good thing. im looking forward to the rest of your worklog

[Franklin]

After making two aluminium pieces it needed some acrylic, just for the looks. Again some paper models of the parts.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/uvacryl.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/uvacryl2.jpg

Needed some curves on the corners and used a file for that.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/vijlenacryl.jpg

one side of the HDD rack is finished.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/hddtray2.jpg

I wanted to use three radiators, two BIX radiators and one BIX II radiator. The small radiator in the front wasn't a problem. The second BIX radiator didn't fit at once. The case needed some modding. I wanted to use the original mounting holes for the fan taht was attached to the radiator, something like this.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/radpastniet.jpg

I had to make some room underneath the radiator to lower it a bit.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/raddropafgetekend.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/raddropdremel.jpg

After cleaning the case up and removing the tape.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/raddropdremeld.jpg

Now it fits.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/raddropped2.jpg

In a German webshop I found a watercooled Enermax PSU.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voeding.jpg

It looks fantastic on the inside so I had to come up with an idea to keep the waterblocks visible in the endresult.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voedinggedremeld.jpg

The green acrylic will cover the hole.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voedingtop.jpg

[Franklin]

The front

I removed all the bezels because I wanted to create a frontpanel that covered everything that was mounted in the drivebays. I'm using two DVD burners, a reservoir and an Aquacomputer Aquaero. First things first. I needed some acrylic that fitted in the opening.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/acrylfront.jpg

Made some holes in it for the Aquaero, reservoir and the two DVD burners.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/plexiefront1.jpg

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/plexiefront2.jpg

Because I don't want to see through to front I also had to create the same panel in aluminium.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/alufront.jpg

drilling holes in the aluminium sheet.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/alufront2.jpg

Drilling holes alone isn't enough to remove the material.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/alufront3.jpg

and the last pieces with a saw.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/alufront4.jpg

The two layers for the front.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/frontenalu.jpg

I used two bezels to attach the acrylic and aluminium together.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/frontbevestiging.jpg

The three buttons from the Aquaero were not long enough to come through the new front so I needed the help from a friend, he made som buttons to extend the original ones.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/knoppen.jpg

For the DVD and the DVD buttons I used the same sandwich from acrylic and aluminium.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/dvdlades.jpg

The DVD stealth was mounted with some bolts.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/dvdfront.jpg

The aluminium had to be cleaned. After cleaning it it needed some wetsanding up to grid 2000 and at the end some polishing.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/frontglanzend.jpg

I only will have to attach the ejectbuttons to the frontplate with some thin rubber sheets.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/knoppen1.jpg

this it what the ejectbuttons look like. The layers are glued together.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/knoppen2.jpg

and with the acrylic back in place.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/knoppen3.jpg

[Mitternacht]

I love that watercooling setup.

[Franklin]

Watercooling

I use two seperate waterloops. The first one cools two PSU's and two harddisks. The second one will cool the CPU, mosfets, Northbridge and GPU's. So this means I'll also put in two pumps in there, two Eheim 1048 pumps. These pumps will be covered with Aquacomputer metal housings. Normally these things are black, but I had them chromed to match the theme.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/chromepompbehuizing.jpg

The first pump will be placed in the upper compartment off the case on some aluminium profiles. Between the profiles and the pumphusing there is some UV acrylic.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/pompverhoging1.jpg

The bolts that I want to use don't fit, so I will make them fit in there.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/draadtappen.jpg

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/pompbehuizing.jpg

I use Aquacomputer coolingblocks, that's small bore stuff, but it is German perfection and it is perfekt with the theme.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/aqwaterkoelblokken.jpg

I love to see hoses from the watercooling, but I hate cables, so I experimented with some paper covers before building it from aluminium.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/stealth2.jpg

It needs some openings for the hardware.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/waterblokken.jpg

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/overzicht2.jpg

It was not possible to use one piece of aluminium, I wouldn't be able to get it in. So I used several sheets of metal. Some of these sheets are for the covers that will come in the lower part off the case.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/aluplaten.jpg

The first metal cover is ready and in place.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/eerste-plaat.jpg

The white paper on it was another idea. It is the place for a Crystalfontz lcd.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/lcd1.jpg

The screen needs an aluminium cover and some green acrylic.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/lcdcover.jpg

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/lcdcover2.jpg

The other covers need to be mounted.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/cpuplaat1.jpg

I already drilled and tapped the holes in the aluminium plate. But now I will have to get the places that have to be drilled marked in the Lian Li. So I used a bit of paper.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/cpuplaat2.jpg

Put the paper in the case and mark the drilling spots.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/cpuplaat3.jpg

After drilling the holes I mounted the plate from underneath with some bolts. Notice that the bolts are behind the aluminium plate.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/cpuplaat4.jpg

Next thing to do is the left plates. I attached the plate with the LCD cover to the smaller one with 4 bolts.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/platenlinks.jpg

and an overview. I think it will look very good after it all has been polished.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/platenoverzicht.jpg

To empty the watercoolingsystem I wanted to use a draining system with valves at the bottom of the case.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/valves.jpg

Time to testfit and mount the valves. I use a handdrill in small spaces. With a drop of oil this works perfectly.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/handboor.jpg

Let's see if it all fits.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/kraanhouder1.jpg

and from behind

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/kraanhouder2.jpg

Later on the PSU will be placed back again, so I also have to make sure the hoses will be able to go underneath the rack the PSU rests on.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/kraanhouder3.jpg

[cbelmo159]

how much did all this cost.

[simon275]

Very nice. I have always wanted to make an uncluttered case like that.

Did you have much trouble bleeding the air out?

[Franklin]

I think the complete case costed about 3500 euro, that includes all the moddingmaterials and hardware.

There are two waterloops in this system. The first waterloop with the reservoir in the top of the case was very easy to fill. The second loop was very difficult, but I knew that while I was building it. The fillcap should be placed at the intake from the pump, but I didn't do that because it gave me some problems with the lay-out and looks. I don't have to refill this thing everey week so I don't mind.

watercooling 2

The valves are mounted, but now I need two points in the case where the hoses come out of the case. Needed some acrylic to modify the case for it.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/drain1.jpg

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/drain2.jpg

Before I can finish and mount the acrylic part I will need to make some room at the back of the Lian Li.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/drain2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/draingat2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/draingat3.jpg

I glued the acrylic part. When the gue has hardened I can file the edges.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/drainbakje.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/drainbakje2.jpg

Here the part is finished and mounted.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/drainbakje4.jpg

Aluminium covers

I wanted to see as few cables as possible. The cables from the harddisks will be hidden between two sheets of aluminium.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/rugplaataquadrives.jpg

One of the pumps will be mounted on the other aluminium sheet.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/aftekenenpompbehuizing.jpg

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/plaatsgatenpomp.jpg

and with the pump in place.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/pompbehuizingvast.jpg

Now I will need some aluminium covers at the compartment at the bottom of the case to hide the other cables.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/totaaltotnutoe.jpg

The metal and the paper models.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/achterplaten.jpg

The first cover is ready

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/achterplaat1.jpg

it fits

http://home.hetnet.nl/~digitalbirds/casemod/achterplaat1gemonteerd.jpg

With all the covers in place.

http://home.planet.nl/~bieri024/casemod/aluplatenachter.jpg

The cables from the second PSU are still visible, but not for long. I used some aluminium U-profiles to hide them.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabels.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabelgoot.jpg

Only the open end will need some more attention.

[Franklin]

Most covers are almost ready now

The memory modules needed a cover that also allow the air to flow over them. This is what I came up with.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/geheugencover.jpg

and all the covers connected.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/maten.jpg

The black fans also needed some covers, aluminium ofcourse. I used some wood to bend the aluminium around.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/fanstrip1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/fanstrip2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/fanstrip3.jpg

and the finished cover.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/bevestigingalufan1.jpg

All the metalwork needs a finishing touch. Wetsanding.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumschuren.jpg

This took me many hours to do. The metal I used were leftovers from a metalshop, so not scratchfree at all.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumkorrel340.jpg

But not finished yet. Polishing by hand takes even more time. But the result makes it up.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumgepolijsd.jpg

bling bling

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/aluminiumgepolijst.jpg

[Arden]

omg....thats hot.

[Franklin]

Seperators

Hoses never do what you want them to do. If you want it to make a leftturn it goes the other way, that's why I made acrylic seperators to guide the hoses.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/slangenhouders.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/slanghouder3.jpg

Here are those valves again.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/kranen1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/kranen2.jpg

The original Lian Li case is divided in an upper and a lower section. Thre are some holes in this divider fot cables, but I will not use those, so I want to cover it with some acrylic with the holes in the spots I need them.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/plexiewit2.jpg

The radiator grill

I use an Aquacomputer radiator grill on top of the case, but I needs some pimping. There are also a reservoir and a Danger Den fillcap.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/fillcap2.jpg

It all looks like seperate parts, another acrylic part will solve that. Started with this piece.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/topacryl.jpg

Finishing the edges of the acrylic part that comes at top of the case.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/topacryl2.jpg

Only the edge of the acrylic will be visible underneath the grill, reservoirplate and the fillcap.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/topacryl3.jpg

And from another angle

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/topacryl4.jpg

Not finished yet, the most difficult part will start now.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/grillacrylglas.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/grillacrylglas2.jpg

After making room for the radiator air, the fillcap and the reservoir.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/acrylgrill.jpg

It looks good, but it will look better with some leds.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/grillleds1.jpg

I drilled holes in the acrylic and in the case to be able to place all the leds.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/grillleds2.jpg

[Franklin]

wiring up the grill leds

The holes for the leds.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/kolomboor.jpg

putting the leds in and wiring them up

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/solderenleds3.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/solderenleds4.jpg

Only wired the kathode, the anode needs to be wired as well.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledsacryl1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledsacryl2.jpg

What is the general idea for mounting the leds? From top down


Aquacomputer grill
acrylic plate
aluminium from the case
another acrylic sheet


something like this.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledmontage.jpg

All these leds ( and lots more in the rest of the case ) need wires and resistors.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/printplaat2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/dradenleds2.jpg

To orden the wires a bit I made something simular for it like the hoseseperators.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/draaddivider.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/dradendoordivider.jpg

and mounted it in the case.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/kabelbundels.jpg

Let's see what it looks like in the dark.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/leds1.jpg

[Franklin]

The case is ready for the other leds. I found the perfect LED holders, chromed.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledhouderlens.jpg

The first LEDholders are in place.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledhoudershardeschijven.jpg

I think these holders look great with the overall style from the mod.

and the leds that will light up the LCD cover

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/solderenleds1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledslcdscherm.jpg

LEDholders between the PSU's

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schotpsu.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schotpsu1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/plaatgroot.jpg

and two LEDS under the pumphousing

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/pompleds.jpg

Two LEDS in the compartment of the PSU's

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/ledspompzijde.jpg

Because the room between the aluminium is very small for all the cables I need to shorten every cable when possible. Like the cables to the harddisks.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/hddkabel1.jpg

shortened them a bit.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/hddkabel2.jpg

and reconnect the wires.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/solderen.jpg

This computer will be for daily use. All the light effect are nice, but I want to be able to switch the lights on and off. Isn't very difficult to do. I've got soom room at the back of the case for the switches.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/afplakken.jpg

The only problem is the see through acrylic. Now it is possible to see all the wiring behind the aluminium covers. No problem. Just use some stuff that is normally used for blinding windows.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/folie.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/backplate.jpg

[slytherock]

Really nice work. Keep it coming :)

[DaveW]

This is a great worklog, with plenty of good photos and so on. I like it!

And the case itself...simple but oh so very effective! It looks pro man, nice design, good work, a great case that i'm very impressed with.

-Dave

[Omega]

Oh man, it looks amazing. I don't even think words can do it justice.

I love what you did with the rad grilles, fillport, and that other thing. It looks great.


Reading all of this makes me wish I had a job and a Lian-Li to go to town on.


Great job.

[Arden]

nice...maybe ill try something like that with the acrylic in mine.

[Franklin]

Hose

Before I could start with the hose I had to solve a problem. I have got an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium motherboard and want to watercool the norhtbridge, CPU and mosfets. The Tygon hose needs to go from he CPU to the mosfets.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/a8nsli-d_l.jpg

This is the place of the mosfets, but it is behind the radiator. There is enough room to use an L-fitting on the cooler.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/mosfetkoeler.jpg

The problem is that the hose will have to make a VERY tight bend. Tygon is great stuff, but this bend was just to tight. I no springs sometimes are used for tight bends, but I didn't want to use that. Don't think it matches the overall looks of the case. That why I came up with this.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/bochtacryl2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/bochtacryl1.jpg

And yes it works! It took me about 30 minutes to get the hose through, but it works perfect. I can start putting in the hose.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/slangen1.jpg

It wasn't easy to pull five hoses through two aluminium plates. but the result is worth it.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/cpuslang2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/slangentotaal4.jpg

This took me many hours to finish.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/overzicht5.jpg

Some small details

Now all the hoses are in, I can start finishing some details. First of all the leds under the grill can be soldered. My bird Bert is giving me a hand.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/bertje1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/bertje2.jpg

The two PSU's will have to be connected. I'm using a relais.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/relais.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/relais2.jpg

Just like all the other wires this relais will be mounted behind a aluminium cover and not be visible. When I push the powerbutton, both PSU's start simultaniously.
Next thing was the window. I thought a simple window would fit the theme the most.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/overzicht6.jpg

Next thing to do is the window itself.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/window2.jpg

It will be mounted on the outside of the sidepanel, so it will also need a small detail to give it that finished look.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/window3.jpg

[Franklin]

Time to fill the watercoolingsystem

The project was almost finished. Time for the water.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/zijkant1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/zijkant2.jpg

Some things look like they aren't straight, but that just my old digital camera. The testrun.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/licht1.jpg

I also needed to take care of some small things now. Like this opening.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/afdekplaatje1.jpg

Nothing some aluminium wouldn't fix.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/strip4.jpg

Another detail is the white acrylic that covers the aluminium plate that devides the upper and lower part of the case. In front of the aluminium baydrive cover there is no acrylic yet.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/strip1.jpg

So I made one.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/strip2.jpg

and placed it.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/strip3.jpg

The cover for the PSU cables, it still was open at the end.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabel1.jpg

Needed some aluminium.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabel2.jpg

made it at the right size

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabel3.jpg

and after polishing it

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/psukabel4.jpg

[simon275]

Wow Wow Wow nice. It is amazing!

What a work of art so modern and powerful looking.

Like your bird to!

[ESX]

Yep, that is pretty goddamn cool!

[Logic Zero]

Awesome :up: :D :banana:

[samurai_crip]

:o Dude that is something of beauty and looking at it now makes me want to rob you :O

[jdbnsn]

Franklin,

Dude, honestly, that is one hell of a job you've done here. If this is seriously your first mod then you are a prodigee, hell even if it isn't your first. Your worklog is extremely well put together also, I predict it won't be long before this is moved to the "Featured Worklogs" section. Great Job!
-Jon

[Crimson13]

Wow, that is a very nice, clean, and professional looking case you got there.

I agree that this needs to be featured.

[Omega]

I think Paul might have some competition soon.

This thing is amazing. The attention to detail, the theme, and last but definitely not least, the simplicity. This is easily the Doom3 of clean cases. Not to mention, all the acrylic pieces add to the whole theme in their own, unique way.

It's amazing. It really is.

[Commando]

Wicked Cool Case....

[Franklin]

Finished case

Before I put the case together I cleaned all the parts. This are some pictures of the finished case. ( made with my old camera, so some parts may look bend )

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/achterzijde.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/pomp.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schuinachterdonker.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schuinbovenvoorkant1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schuinvoor.jpg



http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schuindonker.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/schuinvoorkant.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voedingen.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voorkantschuinonder.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/voorzijde.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/zijkantfinal.jpg

The case was almost ready for the Dutch Championship casemodding. But I needed to add two more details. First the AlumaxX logo, a double X.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/alumaxxlogo1.jpg

and my own logo I normally use to sign my drawings, FJW. http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/elephantklein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/elephant.jpg)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/AlumaxXfjw.jpg

In April I won the Dutch Championship Casemodding with this case. Even some (computer)magazines and newspapers were interested in the championship.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/artikelklein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/artikelgroot.jpg)

Thanks for all your comments. This isn't a real worklog ofcourse, the case was already finished. I just wanted to show some photographs of this mod befoe starting a worklog with my next casemod over here. There are so many forums about casemodding that I didn't know about this one when I was building this case. The Doom project brought me here. I already started with my new project, but will start the worklog some later. Only have some sketches, bought the first materials I will need and build the frame for the next case. From januar till februar the 16th I will be in Australia, so no modding for some time. When I'm back in the Netherlands I will start with the project "Evolutionay" and show the progress in this forum.

[Doomfest]

Atfirst sight, I didn't even know you installed LED's in that thing... your attention to tiny details really made the case look great! You're an artist at heart ;)

[Omega]

Heh, No newspaper could do this justice.

[simon275]

From januar till februar the 16th I will be in Australia, so no modding for some time. When I'm back in the Netherlands I will start with the project "Evolutionay" and show the progress in this forum.

Sweet where in Australia are you visiting?

[Franklin]

I'll will travel from Cairns to Sydney. When I have enough time left I will probably go from Sydney to Melbourne and back again. I met a great French girl last year in Darwin and she works and lives in Melbourne. Hope to see her again.

[Aero]

very nice work Franklin, can't waint to see a worklog for your new project. You deffinatly have some mad skills. I love the porthole type thing on the front of the computer, and the wattercooling looks amazings. Also very nice placement of the UV led's, almost hidden in plain sight on a side view.

Also, what language is that newspaper in? I thought it was German but I can only understand about 1/3 of it. I've beentkaing German here in the US for about 3 years now, but I'm not that great at it, so I could just suck.

[SgtM]

what can I say... uh WOW!!! +rep from me

[Franklin]

very nice work Franklin, can't waint to see a worklog for your new project. You deffinatly have some mad skills. I love the porthole type thing on the front of the computer, and the wattercooling looks amazings. Also very nice placement of the UV led's, almost hidden in plain sight on a side view.

Also, what language is that newspaper in? I thought it was German but I can only understand about 1/3 of it. I've beentkaing German here in the US for about 3 years now, but I'm not that great at it, so I could just suck.

I'm not from Germany but from Holland, so the newspaper is in Dutch.

Thanks for all the compliments.

[DaveW]

Franklin, i'm moving this to the coveted Featured Worklogs section.

The best points of this worklog, for the general learning of the community, are:

Top notch photography. I really think you have some skills with the camera, your pics are good sized and embedded. You havn't got any broken links with your photos either.

You have written some clear and concise explanations and answered the questions that the community has put to you, even though you probably answered the same questions on a million other boards.

Your computer is a nice clean build: it's a simple design and shows other folks that overkill isn't necessary. A lot of folks think you need a million fans, 200 cold cathodes, an elaborate laser etching, and a custom airbrushing of the cover of Bat out of Hell 1 on the left and 2 on the right to have a cool looking case.

You've also shown a lot of people how irrelevant post count is to the abilities of a modder, and it's brilliant that someone with only 16 posts can have a Featured Worklog already.

Which just goes to show, for all you cynics out there, here at TBCS we recognize your skills and your talents, not your post counts. If you're one of those guys who reads and doesn't post, get in here right now and show us what you can do.

Well done Franklin, you deserve this. +Rep.

-Dave

[Omega]

Great job on the Feature, Franklin!

[b4i7]

congrats...somehow i saw this becoming a feature soon

[Aero]

I'm not from Germany but from Holland, so the newspaper is in Dutch.

Thanks for all the compliments.

Ok, that makes sense then:lick: . Although some of they words are similar if not the same as their Deutsch counterparts. They are really pretty similar from what I can tell, I guess my teacher did get me to learn something, who knew.

Oh, and congrats on this becoming a feature:up: .

[NocturnaL]

Wow... speechless, the case looks amazing, very clean.

[armadilloben]

Wow... speechless, the case looks amazing, very clean.

yes this truly very clean man u have a winner on your hands frank!
this is one of the best acrylic jobs i have seen i love the green it looks great

you may have posted it somewhere but with that kinda wcing setup DUDE I GOTTA SEE THE TEMPS!!! lol

i mean u might as well use Shamoos old tank at Sea-World as your reservoir!

really nice case man:up:

[Doomfest]

"Case-junkies"... het niewspapier is grappig. xD Was het jou dat zegt je pc-kast is "futuristisch" ?

Sorry, ik heb een beetje van mijn nederlands vergeten.

[Franklin]

I will give some specs from this computer.

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium motherboard
AMD FX-55 CPU
Corsair TWINX1024-4400C25PT memory
2x XFX GeForce FX 6800GT PCI Express x16 Videocards
2x Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 300 GB SATA 150 16MB harddisks
2x Plextor PX-716A DVD-Rewriter
Creative SoundBlaster Audigy 4 Pro soundcard
2x Enermax EG465AX-VE PSU ( watercooled )

Hardisks are watercooled with two Aquacomputer aquadrives
CPU is watercooled with an Aquacomputer Cuplex Evo
The videocards are watercooled with Aquacomputer AquagraFX 8600 coolblocks

I use two waterloops, both with an Eheim 1048 pump and a Innovatek Fass-O-Matic reservoir.

The first loop.

Reservoir-->flowmeter-->pump-->BlackIce Xtreme II radiator-->Northbridge-->CPU-->videocards-->reservoir

Temps in degrees Celcius:
water in the reservoir is 23.1 degrees at the moment
GPU 47 degrees
CPU 36 degrees


second loop

Reservoir-->pump-->BlackIce Xreme radiator-->Blackice Xtreme radiator-->PSU-->PSU--.Harddisk-->Harddisk-->flowmeter-->reservoir
water in the reservoir is 22.8 degrees
Harddisks 28 and 29 degrees

Room temperature is 20,5 degrees

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/tempsklein.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Franklin/alumaxx/temps.jpg)

and Doomfest your Dutch is very well. Casejunkies is a website for casemodders in the Netherland ;) www.casejunkies.com They organized the casemodding championship. The guy from the newspaper is responsible for the text and the word futuristic. I only told him how many hours it took me to build it and some stuff about casemodding in general.

[Doomfest]

I c. So Case Junkies is a site, not a term they use to describe case modders. That's a relief. xD Case Junkies sounds so... weird. But good for a website name :D heh, I thank the writer for writing about your case though. well-deserved. ;)

[johnnywest]

i want to do this mod...except with the black version of the case and red acrylic instead of green..

[Darkness]

Wow.

[Bucko]

That trully is amazing work!
There is just so much attention to detail and thought put into it.

Well done and +Rep.

Lee.

[niko7209]

Awesome Mod dude! Questions: how much planning did you do before you actually sliced into a lian-li? in parts of your log it almost feels like you made it up as you went; if thats not what you did and it just came off that way i think thats really cool. the workmanship is unbelievable! here's a santa! :santa:

[Daruvian]

Simply awesome... You get the santa and the banana
:santa::banana:

[progbuddy]

That's a great case. I like the green plexiglass.

There are times I wish I had a local computer store :neutral:

[Franklin]

Awesome Mod dude! Questions: how much planning did you do before you actually sliced into a lian-li? in parts of your log it almost feels like you made it up as you went; if thats not what you did and it just came off that way i think thats really cool. the workmanship is unbelievable! here's a santa! :santa:

It took me about 7 months to plan the mod. I didn't know anything about modding so I had to search as much information about modding and the materials as I could. Ofcourse I made some minor changes while modding, but the overall plan was what I had in mind. The only thing that is totally different from my initial planning is the front. My first idea didn't work out that well. Some things just don't look the way you expected it.

[Eclecticos]

Amazing! The BEST one Ive ever seen! Except that Doom 3 One.

I like it a little bit better.

I had no idea that everything could be watercooled.

Simple Tools? . .A FlowJet! :up: :up:

I could swear, it looks like you used a flowjet to cut alot of that out.

I'm just Jealous I Guess. Greaaaat Work.

[Franklin]

Some new pics.

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/schuinbovenkant.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/voorkant.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/zijkantdonker.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/zijkantschuinvanachteren.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/zijkantschuinvanachteren2.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/zijkantschuinvanvoren.jpg

http://fjw-modding.nl/afbeeldingen/PCFormat/zijkantschuinvanvoren2.jpg

[Mitternacht]

ssssSSSSSSSOOOOO Sexy!!!

[geoffrek]

from what i can see this case is absolutely drop dead sexy. unfortunately it seems several of the images are broken. is there another place to see the whole process?

[jdbnsn]

I have these backed up but restoring them is going to take time. I'll start at the beginning and work my way through

[billygoat333]

I had forgotten this mod. Very beautiful.